The Nightingale Murders
by Zippity-Doo-Da
Summary: A mysterious murderer is runnin about killing the girls of Gryffindor 4 years after graduation. Who could it be? Draco? Harry? Ron? Read to find out. Please r/r. rated R for ore and blood and stuff of that nature.
1. Bye Bye Love

The Nightingale Murders  
Prologue  
  
By: Nekura Megami the Dark Goddess  
  
  
He ran his slim, agile fingers down the edge of the blade. The feel of the cold steel against his skin thrilled him, more that he could say. He slid the jeweled dagger into the top of his tall boot. He looked in the mirror, deciding that he was the very image of a predator. The sheaf of arrows swung down his back as he turned to grab his bow. On this night, an "innocent" would be innocent no longer.  
His boots thumped on the cobblestone streets, making a horrible echoing sound that could send chills up you spine. He advanced into the small tavern slowly, careful not to make anyone suspicious. He had left his bow and arrows in the alley beside the bar, he figured that he would only need them only if his victim tried to escape or if someone got a little too nosy.   
He spotted her at last, sitting by the bar with another young woman. After all the years that had passed, he doubted she would recognize him. The sight of her gorgeous wavy hair and her smooth, creamy skin sent his senses reeling, just as they had back in the days of school. The scent of her vanilla perfume wafted over to him, the temptation was too much to resist any longer. He figured now was as good a time as any. He picked his way across the beer-bottle and peanut-shell littered flooring of the tavern to proceed with step one of his plan...  
The police didn't find the body until the next morning. The young woman's flesh was so slashed and mangled that it made identification impossible. Unless they could find I.D. in the heap of ripped clothing next to her, they would have to resort to dental records... and none of them wanted that.  
The Chief of Police stood beside the scene, smoking a cigarette and watching the medical examiners scurry about. His lieutenant approached him slowly.  
"Sir," he began tentatively,"We found her wallet. All of her credit cards, money and jewelry were still here. This was not common robbery... This was cold-blooded murder."  
The finality of the words chilled him straight down to the bone, but he found his voice and managed to speak.  
"Any identification?" his tone was bland and impersonal.  
"We found her driver's license. Her name was Hermione Granger, age 21."   
So young... she had her whole life ahead of her, he thought, what a waste. An utter, utter waste.   
"Alright, clean her up!" he barked at the medical personnel, peeved at the situation, "And send me the medical reports as soon as you determine the cause of death!"  
He threw his cigarette on the ground and stomped it out; there was nothing more he could do here.  
  
Disclaimer- Everything here, except Hermione, belongs to Moi. So back off! *J/k*  
  
Author's Note- OMG! Someone actually read this far! *Faints* It's unbelievable! Now, I only wrote this to get over writers' block and I don't even know if it worked to please, please give me a break here. I would like to thank Christi for encouraging me to write smut, I'm just glad this didn't turn out like that. Flames are welcome, I already know that this was too short and too strange.  
  



	2. Results Can Be Revolting...

Ethan Frome

The Nightingale Murders- Part 2

Results Can Be Revolting….

By: Nekura Megami the Dark Goddess

A telephone rang, papers rustled, feet stomped across tile floors. Chief Michael Abberline sat in his office going through the incident reports from yesterday's murder. A fait knock sounded on the door, pulling him out of his concentrated trance. 

"Sir… the medical reports from yesterday's murder of Ms. Hermione Granger have just arrived from the labs." The man dropped the manila envelope onto the desk and quickly retreated into the bustle of the station.

The envelope seemed to burn a hole through his desk. He knew he should finish revising those incident reports before opening it but his curiosity was sparked and there was no relief until he discovered the results. He reached out slowly, unsure. Nevertheless, he finally snatched it and ripped it open, spilling the components onto the desk.

It was horrible. Pictures of her battered body, writing that screamed out the details of her death to the world. Michael shuffled through the disorganized mess, trying to find it. He didn't know how long he sat there, before he found it… the medical report. His eyes skimmed the paper anxiously. Then he saw it… he saw the horrible truth, right there in black and white. 

"Subject has slash wounds administered to face, chest and stomach. Tests unveil that subject was stabbed 14 times, in each of her major organs, I alphabetical order." He read.

Michael was appalled, but he forced himself to read on. Things like this always turned his stomach.

"More tests reveal semen on her legs and privates. Bruises on stomach and legs show evidence of rape."

The paper dropped form Michael's numb hands. He was thoroughly disgusted, repelled. Who could be so cruel?

Whoa, he thought shaking his head, dumb question. Many those crazies that roamed the streets at night were depraved enough to have done this. But what was the motive? Pleasure, Torture… Revenge? A thought crossed his shocked mind and he called for the new inspector.

"Thomas! Get in here!" he shouted. The tall ex-football player entered the office only moments later.

"Yes sir?" he asked, not sounding nervous as most did around Michael. He may only be 27 but he was a hard as nails.

"I assume you've heard bout yesterday's murder?"

"Aye, I have…"

"I want you to do a background check on the woman, look for old boyfriends, school-mates, enemies. Things of that nature. Her name was Hermione Granger."

Dean Thomas, inspector for the LPD*, stood awe-struck. Hermione? Hermione was murdered? He could feel his jaw drop. Wait until Harry and Ron heard about this…

Michael gave his a strange look. 

"What is the dumb-struck look for Thomas?"

Dean just stared at him for a minute until the question sank through. Even what he found his voice, it came out as a diminutive squeak.

"I… I knew her…" his face remained a mask or shock.

It was Michael's turn to stare. "You knew her?!?" he asked in disbelief.

"Y… Yes sir. I went to school with her… I've known her for 10 years."

"Well then, you'll have no problem finding old friends of hers will you? Dismissed." Michael picked up his pencil and continued writing on his incident report. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all… But little did her know, it would be a lot harder than he anticipated.

*LPD- London Police Department

Disclaimer- Dean Thomas, Hermione Granger, Harry and Ron belong to Joanne Kathleen Rowling, but Michael and the story-line belong to me.

Author's Note- Well, I am quite pleased with the results. I didn't think that I'd be able to write a second chapter after writing the first part. And it's official! I'm over my writer's block! I'd like to thank Spookygirl, R ST. Peter, Raven, Aleese Dundancer, and my good buddy Christi Talmer (who ordered me to write this.) for the nice reviews they gave me. And Myth, I know that a murder mystery can't be written in half a page, that's why this is going in chapters. And Indiana Jones… if you can't watch your mouth when you review my stories, then I ask you not to review them at all. And to all that are sad about Hermione… well, she didn't die for nothing, there is a reason. So… Can anyone guess who the killer is yet?


	3. Part 3-And the plot thickens...

Disclaimer ~ All the HP characters belong to Jk Rowling and Warner Bros., the plot and Michael Abberline belong to moi.  
  
Author's Note ~ Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry this chapter took soooo long to get up. I was investing my creative energy into several other projects (and my schoolwork). Nevertheless, here it is and I hope you enjoy reading it... However, beware... it changes POV's often. Myth, I took your advice and made the murder scene more... colorful. Hope you like it!  
  
  
  
THE NIGHTINGALE MURDERS   
  
Chapter 3- And the plot thickens...  
  
By: Nekura Megami the Dark Goddess  
  
  
Dean Thomas drove is flashy, red, Monte Carlo down the narrow side street, his tires sending loose asphalt flying in every direction. Murdered... the word filled his mind, overwhelmed his senses. How was he going to tell Harry and Ron? He could almost picture the looks of painful disbelief on their faces. This... he told himself, was going to be hard.  
  
****  
  
He sat at the table, concentrating on the parchment before him.  
  
Hermione Granger- deceased  
Lavender Brown-   
  
His crazed laughter reverberated off the walls, filling the small room with the disturbing sound.   
'Well," he said to himself "Better get ready, I've got a busy night ahead of me..." He reached for his dagger and whet-stone (1), and began to sharpen it...  
  
****  
  
Harry Potter rummaged through the closet. He found what he was looking for and started to sit up before, CRACK! His head encountered the bottom of a nearby shelf.  
"S--T!" he dropped the item and grabbed the back of his head. "Ouch..." He glared evilly at the source of his pain, then kicked it.  
"OUCH!" he added a new discomfort to his growing list. The ache in his toe took the reigning place over the one in his head. He grabbed what he had been searching for and exited the torture chamber that was his closet. He sat in a cozy, chair that bordered his bed. He reached down and rubbed hi throbbing toe.  
"Oww..." he whined pitifully "Stupid bloody shelf. Should be in Malfoy's closet, not mine."  
Then... his doorbell rang. He got up and limped down the hall, muttering obscenities the whole way.   
He flung open the door, ready to go on a rampage against whoever it was. That was until he saw Dean, looking scared, regretful and as pale as his dark skin would let him.   
"Dean! What are you doing 'ere? What's 'appened? Come in, come in and sit down."  
Dean walked in, his feet shuffling the whole way. Harry shut the door and turned to face him.  
"Are you alright? You look a little pale..."  
"Yeah, I'm okay. But... I'm afraid I 'ave some rather... shocking, news." He twisted his hands around nervously, his palms sweating.   
Harry's eyebrows shot up, his eyes widening. "What's happened? Is it Ron? Seamus?" his voice grew hopeful "Malfoy?"  
Dean's head shook "N... n... no. It's Hermione... she's been... murdered."  
The word hung in the air then dropped with a cold finality. Harry gasped and grew pale.  
"You're kidding. Please say your kidding. This isn't funny Dean! IT ISN'T FUNNY!"   
"I'm sorry... I know how much she meant to you..." Dean hung his head and started to leave, then turned and whispered "I'm sorry..."  
  
****  
  
Dean went through the same horrifying ordeal when he met up with Ron and Ginny. When he left, they were both dissolved in tears.   
  
The things a police officer had to do...  
  
****  
  
The prey sat at the bar, blissfully unaware that the predator lurked in the shadows behind her. His dagger rode easily at his hip, concealed by his white shirt. His blonde hair spiked and his big, blue eyes flashing. She would never recognize him, he thought gleefully.  
He took a seat next to her, drinking in the fragrance of her hair, the sweet aroma of her smooth skin. He wanted her so much... but she had not wanted him. She had sent him on his way because she thought it would hurt her reputation if she was seen with him. She had never said it aloud but... he had seen the disdain in her eyes.  
She turned towards him and looked him from head to toe. He guessed she had found him to her liking because she stared straight at him, her gorgeous violet eyes turning a sexy, misty-blue. She began to talk to him.  
"Well... hello there." She said, a sultry smile spreading across her face "Who might you be?"   
He smiled back at her; this was exactly the way he knew she would always turn out, a worthless whore. He tried to hide the disdain in his voice. "The name's Devin, Devin Burke."   
"I'm Lavender. Wanna get outta here?" she licked her lips. she thought, practically sweating.  
He leaned forward, joy filling his mind. This was exactly the opening he had been hoping for. "Sure."  
She grinned "Good... let's go."  
  
****  
  
He led her out into the dusky alley behind the bar. She pulled him with along beside her, up against a damp wall; She yanked his face down to her's and kissed him hard on the mouth. She was drunk; he could smell it on her breath.  
He slowly, unobtrusively, slid a long, sharp knife from the back waistband of his pants. The last thing he needed was her figuring out what was happening. However... she was otherwise occupied. Perfect, absolutely perfect.   
As suddenly as he had become charming and nice, he turned malicious and sadistic. He plunged the wicked-looking knife into her stomach, warm blood spilled out over his hand. Lavender's eyes widened, a gasping breath escaped her rapidly paling lips.  
"This is what you get. This is my revenge. You rejected me, humiliated me. Just like your little friend Hermione. That was a mistake, a dire mistake."  
"You..." she managed to gasp.  
"Yes... me." He dug the knife deeper into her stomach and watched as the blood left her body.   
He laid her lifeless form on the garbage-strewn ground and stroked her golden hair. "I'm sorry... I had to, It was your own fault."   
He turned slowly and walked away.   
  
****  
  
The sirens rumbled along the streets. Children stopped playing, mothers stopped hanging their laundry and fathers stopped reading the paper. All watched silently.  
  
They knew what had happened, 'twas like reliving history...  
  
  
****  
  
"Who was it this time?" Michael asked the police inspectors.  
"We found her wallet and driver's license. Her name was Lavender Brown, age 21." One answered cautiously.  
Dean, who was standing behind Michael, gasped. Chief Abberline turned and looked at him.  
"What? Knew her too, did you?" he asked curiously.  
"Yes sir. I did. Went to school with her as well." He said quietly.  
Michael's eyes widened, "Sorry Thomas." He paused before continuing, "Can you think of anyone who might have held a grudge against them?"  
Of course, Dean did. But he couldn't go and start blurting out the name of people in the wizarding world could he?   
"Uh... no sir. I can't." he said finally.  
"Well, if you do think of someone or of another woman who could be connected then please, don't hesitate to contact me." He pulled a card out of his pocket. "The first number's me at home and the second's my desk at work, in case you're out when I'm at the office."  
  
****  
  
Author's Note- Well, hope you liked this chapter. I worked hard on it. Took me a while to get back in the mood to write this. Flames welcome, they are probably well deserved. Also, to all Lavender fans, her death is part of a larger picture. Please, be open-minded. 


End file.
